Question about Salvador Sanchez

He was pretty ordinary against Cowdell. I know it is not the done thing to criticize Sanchez, but he fought to people levels. Great when fighting Lopez and Gomez; not so good when fighting a Cowdell or green as grass Nelson.

 

I don't go along with the "fighting to levels" idea. It's too pat an answer, and doesn't coincide in the least with his overall professionalism.

I'd say it's more of a styles thing; he looked great against Lopez and Gomez because they came right at him. Suicide against a counterpuncher like Sanchez. Ford and Cowdell were coy and cautious, a counterpuncher's anathema.

 

I agree sal.The fighting to levels thing with Sanchez never held up to real scrutiny.It was a styles and talent issue that meant some fighters did better than others.

Castillo, Ford, Cowdell etc were all cagey precise outfighters with fine jabs that tried not to give much away for a counterpuncher.

Nelson, totally different from them, yet already very talented in his own right.

 

As far as the level of those contenders you listed, imo:

Rocky Garcia...nondescript gatekeeper type.Best performance maybe giving Steve Cruz a really close fight, though i never saw his fight with Lupe Suarez which may have been at least as good.He was poor against Sanchez, who gave a genuinely sluggish and unimpressive performance(albeit in winning by a mile).This fight may have been a hint Sanchez was going to start coasting and turning Toney\calzaghe'esque performances if he didn't feel threatened.


Pat Cowdell.....Good contender and cagey textbook cutie for a brief period.Turned pro quite late after an extensive, excellent amatuer career and subsequently had a very brief physical prime as a pro.Not much firepower and not a complete pro, but the kind of fighter who would acquit himself well against most if engaged in a technical fight and allowed to fight at his own pace.Was past it and cutting back down from 130 when starched by Nelson.


Robert Castanon...very average, chinny brawler.More decent Euro title class for the era, than a legitimately challenging world level contender.


Juan Laporte...talented hard-hitting, very durable skilled boxer-puncher.Had an inconsistent mentality and was often guilty of laziness and low-workrate.If he brought his A game, a potentially tough night against almost anyone.Maybe a bit green against Sanchez, but fought well and a good performance by Sal.


Ruben Castillo....very good textbook technician with the emphasis on pure boxing from the outside.A genuinely formidable and worthy challenger at the time he fought Sanchez, though that fight coupled with the Arguello one seemed to take a fair bit out of him.

Pat Ford...Lanky physically gifted Tommy Hearns\Mark Breland\McCrory type with formidable offensive boxing skills.Not an easy fighter to outjab or take on from the outside because of his long straight punches and ability to quickly step out of range.Unfortunately a bit of an unfulfilled promise, he made his name with the performance against Sanchez early in his career and was seemingly ruined in the subsequently earned title shot against Pedroza.I don't know a thing about him outside of the ring though to say if there were other problems at play for his never again playing a part in the division.

 

Nelson certainly showed how to deal with Cowdell....



[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75ShHAcXppc[/ame]

 

The closest Sanchez came to losing a title fight.

Extremely close fight.

 

Good thread.

Haven't seen much of Nelson but to say he was "green" (which he possibly was) is actually a compliment considering he's had maybe the best performance from a green fighter against a fellow but prime great.

Did look bad against Cowdell and Ford but as said he does better when people come towards him hence why he's referred to as an aggressive counterpuncher. Actually like how he handled Ford with attacking him on the ropes so that's a bit of an underrated performance imo. He reminds me of Marquez style-wise and both do look unimpressive/human versus cautious fighters but they can do decent against them.

 

Nice thread, Sanchez was incredible.

 

I seen Sanchez vs Juan Escobar live, I believe it was in 1978. A fight I thought Sanchez lost, but was called a draw. Escobar had Sanchez down in one of the mid rounds. That nite Sanchez looked very ordinary. But than again Escobar was a very good fighter, the problem with him was that he liked the ladies and nite life better than training and getting in shape.

 

You didn't happen to sneak in a small camera that night and film the thing in its pristine entirety, did you?

.............'cause you know.......if you did, that would be really cool.

 

Sanchez had quite a few fights early on where he looked ordinary. Then he came out of nowhere and looked picture perfect against Lopez.

 

Well, he changed styles......if you watch the fights before he won the title, he was more of an attrition fighter. Not that he necessarily decided that overnight, but he was far more aggressive early on.